Sunday, March 30, 2008
News
Here come the Holmeses: Couple vies for prize on television reality show
By SARAH BAZZETTA Argus-Press Managing Editor
DENVER, Colo. - Lance Holmes and his wife Heather never thought they would be the type of people to appear on a reality show.
But the Holmeses saw something different in ABC's “Here Come the Newlyweds” - and now they are one of three couples left competing for cash prizes.
“A lot of reality shows try to break up marriages, but we knew this one wasn't like that,” said Holmes, 28, an Owosso native. “The producers told us it was going to be about celebrating the funny things about marriage, not the bad stuff.”
And that's a perfect fit for the Holmeses.
When Lance Holmes, now a pharmaceutical sales representative, saw Heather Burt walk into a bar in Findlay, Ohio, in 2000, he knew he was going to marry her one day.
“I turned to her girlfriend and said I was going to marry that girl,” said Holmes. “And five years later, I did.”
Heather, 29, and now a physical therapist, and Lance were married June 11, 2005, in Ohio. They relocated to Denver in September.
“She's beautiful, and a really cool chick, too,” said Lance.
When they were vacationing in Las Vegas in November, a casting agent approached them about appearing on a new ABC reality show.
Although they had apprehensions at first, they said they figured it was worth a shot.
And now that chance encounter may be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in a nest egg for the couple.
“We never really watched that much reality TV,” he said from his Denver home Wednesday. “But I think we've been very accurately portrayed. It's not a back-stabbing show. It's been a good decision.”
Holmes lived with his mother Jan in Owosso until he was 10 years old, when the family moved to Williamston. Holmes' brothers graduated from Owosso High School in the 1980s.
“It's so cool to see them on TV,” said Jan Holmes, who also appears on tonight's episode. “You just look at them and say, ‘Yep, that's Lance and Heather.' ”
Although Holmes couldn't say who walks away with the prize, which will be awarded on the series finale at 10 p.m. April 6, he said he was very happy he appeared on the show.
“We've learned to always stay calm, cool and collected,” he said. “That's the No. 1 thing to remember in a marriage.”
The remaining two episodes of “Here Come the Newlyweds” air Sundays at 10 p.m. on WJRT-ABC 12.
But the Holmeses saw something different in ABC's “Here Come the Newlyweds” - and now they are one of three couples left competing for cash prizes.
“A lot of reality shows try to break up marriages, but we knew this one wasn't like that,” said Holmes, 28, an Owosso native. “The producers told us it was going to be about celebrating the funny things about marriage, not the bad stuff.”
And that's a perfect fit for the Holmeses.
When Lance Holmes, now a pharmaceutical sales representative, saw Heather Burt walk into a bar in Findlay, Ohio, in 2000, he knew he was going to marry her one day.
“I turned to her girlfriend and said I was going to marry that girl,” said Holmes. “And five years later, I did.”
Heather, 29, and now a physical therapist, and Lance were married June 11, 2005, in Ohio. They relocated to Denver in September.
“She's beautiful, and a really cool chick, too,” said Lance.
When they were vacationing in Las Vegas in November, a casting agent approached them about appearing on a new ABC reality show.
Although they had apprehensions at first, they said they figured it was worth a shot.
And now that chance encounter may be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in a nest egg for the couple.
“We never really watched that much reality TV,” he said from his Denver home Wednesday. “But I think we've been very accurately portrayed. It's not a back-stabbing show. It's been a good decision.”
Holmes lived with his mother Jan in Owosso until he was 10 years old, when the family moved to Williamston. Holmes' brothers graduated from Owosso High School in the 1980s.
“It's so cool to see them on TV,” said Jan Holmes, who also appears on tonight's episode. “You just look at them and say, ‘Yep, that's Lance and Heather.' ”
Although Holmes couldn't say who walks away with the prize, which will be awarded on the series finale at 10 p.m. April 6, he said he was very happy he appeared on the show.
“We've learned to always stay calm, cool and collected,” he said. “That's the No. 1 thing to remember in a marriage.”
The remaining two episodes of “Here Come the Newlyweds” air Sundays at 10 p.m. on WJRT-ABC 12.